Terry Stotts has transformed Trail Blazers into elite defensive team

[SlyPokerDog]

By Mike Richman | The Oregonian/OregonLive
Follow on Twitter
on March 17, 2015 at 1:26 PM, updated March 17, 2015 at 2:31 PM

The Trail Blazers walked off the floor of the AT&T Center in San Antonio following a 104-82 drubbing in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals last May, knowing they were no match for the soon-to-be NBA champion Spurs.

The Spurs had just completed the "gentleman's sweep" of the Blazers, thoroughly dominating Portland in four wins. The Blazers had somehow avoided a clean sweep with a Game 4 win that seemed more like a courtesy chuckle at Portland's ill-timed joke.

The message was clear: To take the next step in a quest for their first title in 38 years the Blazers needed to make some changes. And it started with defense...

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...e_transformation_in_2_years.html#incart_river

 

[MarAzul]

Chances are we get see what progress really has be made. The Blazers probably get SA in the first round.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

Chances are we get see what progress really has be made. The Blazers probably get SA in the first round.

Tough match up but there are those who think they will beat SA in a seven game series. Jabari Parker being one.

I think it's going to be difficult for this team to go where they want to go this year without Matthews. I think next year if they can sign everyone and lose none they will really take off. It will be three full years playing together. With the third season running this defensive and offensive scheme. Their just going to continue to polish up.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

Stotts is proving to be a well rounded coach. Many thought he was just offensive genius. He's proven that notion wrong. Obviously the proof is in the overall results. But the fact that we seen this dramatic of a change in on season is good stuff and says a lot about him.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Tough match up but there are those who think they will beat SA in a seven game series. Jabari Parker being one.

I'm guessing you mean Jabari Young.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

I'm guessing you mean Jabari Young.

Him too.

 

[maxiep]

Bad timing for that article. Our defensive "effort" against Les Boulez was as bad as I've seen this season.

 

[illmatic99]

Breaking down our WC opponents:

Chris Paul and Tony Parker (and Kawhi now) are really good at creating and making foul line Js, so they can make quick work of our midrange-forcing D. DAL has a historically good midrange shooter Rondo, but he has been trash lately. Dirk lives there however. Conley and Gasol are also similarly good, as are Westbrook and KD.

HOU does not want to shoot there so they will play right into our D, and GS also likes to stick to the 3 and layup philosophy on offense.

Interesting...

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Speaking of Dirk, has anyone else noticed how annoyed he gets by guards guarding him? Lillard actually guarded him really well off of switched in the midrange. Reminds me of how LMA used to hate being guarded by 6'7" guys back in the day (2008 vs Houston)

 

[blue32]

Elite defensive unit?...... more like it ...

 

[dviss1]

Elite defensive unit?...... more like it ...

The numbers don't lie. The hate is strong with this one....

 

[blue32]

The numbers don't lie. The hate is strong with this one....

Uh, there is no hate from me. We are not "ELITE". Good maybe, above average, yes. Elite would have never let the Timberwolves beat us twice.

Edit: And what's with this bullshit "hate" terminology for people with disagreeing opinions. Come on...

 

[SlyPokerDog]

And what's with this bullshit "hate" terminology for people with disagreeing opinions. Come on...

Are you saying you hate when people say you hate?

 

[riverman]

Speaking of Dirk, has anyone else noticed how annoyed he gets by guards guarding him? Lillard actually guarded him really well off of switched in the midrange. Reminds me of how LMA used to hate being guarded by 6'7" guys back in the day (2008 vs Houston)

Steve Blake did an excellent job guarding Dirk early on this season. Dirk is not the most graceful power forward. His weakness is his footwork.

 

[illmatic99]

Steve Blake did an excellent job guarding Dirk early on this season. Dirk is not the most graceful power forward. His weakness is his footwork.

smh this place sometimes....

 

[illmatic99]

Speaking of Dirk, has anyone else noticed how annoyed he gets by guards guarding him? Lillard actually guarded him really well off of switched in the midrange. Reminds me of how LMA used to hate being guarded by 6'7" guys back in the day (2008 vs Houston)

Dirk roasted Dame and CJ in their comeback win a few weeks ago when we inexplicably decided to switch in the fourth quarter and OT on the PG-Dirk P&R. He might look awkward doing it, but he kills that switch nearly every time, and has been for 10+ years.

 

[riverman]

smh this place sometimes....

what does smh mean? you quoted my post but the reply is ??

 

[riverman]

smh this place sometimes....

got it, shaking your head eh? Blake is a tougher guard than he gets credit for, guess you're a Dirk fan?

 

[riverman]

Uh, there is no hate from me. We are not "ELITE". Good maybe, above average, yes. Elite would have never let the Timberwolves beat us twice.

Edit: And what's with this bullshit "hate" terminology for people with disagreeing opinions. Come on...

3rd in the west is pretty far from average. 1st in a couple of defensive categories and top 5 or 10 in others...glass half empty?

 

[illmatic99]

got it, shaking your head eh? Blake is a tougher guard than he gets credit for, guess you're a Dirk fan?

No.

It was at the notion that Blake guarding Dirk is a good defensive plan.

And at you thinking Dirk, a future HOF 7 footer renowned for his offense (who kinda revolutionized the modern day big man) has "weak footwork." There are guys like KD/Kobe/Bron who straight up went out and added his patented one-legged fadeaway into their games after that play won him a title. Hell, even our own LA has added it into his repertoire. You think a guy with weak footwork can make that move?

And no, I don't care about Dirk, not really a fan of his, but I acknowledge his greatness. Doing so does not make me any less of a Blazer fan. This place has gotten so sensitive with soccer moms, kinda turning into BEdge lately. Kinda disappointing-- even the slightest hint of criticism for the Blazers invokes questions of fandom, or my favorite: "you didn't watch the game" argument. Where's MM when you need him?

/soapbox

 

[dviss1]

Uh, there is no hate from me. We are not "ELITE". Good maybe, above average, yes. Elite would have never let the Timberwolves beat us twice.

Edit: And what's with this bullshit "hate" terminology for people with disagreeing opinions. Come on...

Those losses mean nothing on the whole. So your'e saying that when the Lakers, Nets, and Jazz beat the Warriors that determines whether or not they are elite defensively? You're logic is flawed...

 

[e_blazer]

Those losses mean nothing on the whole. So your'e saying that when the Lakers, Nets, and Jazz beat the Warriors that determines whether or not they are elite defensively? You're logic is flawed...

Agreed. The Spurs lost to the Knicks yesterday and yet I think we'd all agree that they're a pretty good defensive unit.

 

[dviss1]

Steve Blake did an excellent job guarding Dirk early on this season. Dirk is not the most graceful power forward. His weakness is his footwork.

Huh?? Kobe, and Lamarcus among others have copied Dirk's 1 foot step back fadeaway. Dirk has excellent footwork.

 

[dviss1]

Top 10 Defense in the league is Elite. I don't care what you say...

 

[MarAzul]

Are you saying you hate when people say you hate?

No, I don't thing he did. I would speculate he is objecting to the use of the word hate, being used to chastise him for not sticking to the group speak talking points.

 

[MarAzul]

Dirk is not the most graceful power forward. His weakness is his footwork.

Wow! I always thought Dirk's footwork was excellent, almost unigue and the main tool that enabled an otherwise gangly 7 footer to put up an accurate shot against anyone.

 

[riverman]

Huh?? Kobe, and Lamarcus among others have copied Dirk's 1 foot step back fadeaway. Dirk has excellent footwork.

I never thought jump shooting technique was the same as good footwork. I never thought Dirk was good at spinning off a defender or creating in traffic. He always looks really awkward in the paint to me. He has improved defensively in recent years. Great great shooter if he keeps the ball off the floor though. Dirk could learn from Kobe and Lamarcus in the paint in my view.

 

[MarAzul]

the notion that Blake guarding Dirk is a good defensive plan

Yep. That would be a disaster if it were the plan. Can you imagine how often and how fast Dirk would get the ball?

 

[riverman]

Huh?? Kobe, and Lamarcus among others have copied Dirk's 1 foot step back fadeaway. Dirk has excellent footwork.

I think Dirk copied Reggie Millers kickout from deep.

 

[riverman]

Yep. That would be a disaster if it were the plan. Can you imagine how often and how fast Dirk would get the ball?

I think my post was taken out of context. No, I wouldn't use Blake as a plan to guard Dirk but Blake can guard bigs as good as any guard we have and when we blew them out early in the season, Blake frustrated Dirk taking away the mismatch.